Transmission & Distribution: Page 14


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    Opinion

    C&I customer needs are rapidly changing. How can utilities maximize their relationship?

    Utilities risk being blindsided by the capacity needs of commercial and industrial customers by not engaging them early and often to understand their electrification plans.

    By Julia Hamm and Chase Weir • Sept. 26, 2024
  • A DTE Energy crew performs reliability work using a bucket truck.
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    Courtesy of DTE Energy
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    DTE, Consumers Energy outage restoration times, reliability measures lagging: audit

    Michigan regulators launched the review of DTE and Consumers’ operations in 2022 following a string of outages. Restoration times at both utilities are “worse than average,” the audit found.

    By Sept. 25, 2024
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    Nathan Howard/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Electricity Supply and Demand

    After nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption reached an all-time high in 2024 and is expected to continue rising. This trendline brings together the best of Utility Dive’s coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. 

    By Utility Dive staff
  • Steam billows from a massive cement smokestack at a nuclear power plant at the edge of the water.
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    The image by Peretzp is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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    PJM market design flaws add billions to latest capacity auction costs: market monitor

    A switch in how PJM measures power plant availability, one of several market issues flagged by Monitoring Analytics, increased capacity costs by $4.4 billion compared to its previous approach.

    By Sept. 24, 2024
  • Wind farm with transmission lines.
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    Opinion

    Permitting reform’s false choice

    Any benefits to green infrastructure that would be gained by undoing federal protections are likely to be more than offset by the proliferation of fossil fuels.

    By David E. Adelman • Sept. 20, 2024
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    NAESB rolls out draft standardized distribution services contract

    The contract will allow for “seamless participation” of distributed energy resource aggregators in wholesale markets, consistent with FERC Order 2222, the energy standards board said.

    By Sept. 18, 2024
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    Rising demand could drive US wholesale electricity prices 19% higher by 2028: ICF

    Electricity demand is expected to rise in every region of the U.S., but “the largest increase by far” is projected in the mid-Atlantic region, where demand could grow 68% by 2050, ICF said.

    By Sept. 18, 2024
  • A transmission line tower and wind turbines in Illinois.
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    Opinion

    The Energy Permitting Reform Act is our best shot at advancing critical climate goals

    The bill would be a crucial step toward America realizing its potential as a 21st century clean energy superpower, but only if we can put our desires for a perfect policy aside and embrace practical compromise.

    By Danielle Russo • Sept. 17, 2024
  • Electric transmission lines run through a wooded area with houses in the foreground.
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    Clean energy groups urge FERC to reject Southeast Energy Exchange Market

    The SEEM produced $3.7 million in benefits in 2023 but had $4.3 million in administrative costs, according to Advanced Energy United and other groups.

    By Sept. 16, 2024
  • Several vehicles lined up along a curb are blurred while in the foreground a white and silver electric vehicle charger is in focus.
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    Permission granted by Enel X Way North America
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    California PUC sets grid connection timelines for large investor-owned utilities

    The decision could cut in half the time it takes PG&E, SDG&E and SoCal Edison to connect EV charging stations, homes and commercial buildings to the grid, according to the PUC.

    By Sept. 16, 2024
  • Electric transmission lines crossing Colorado's Eagles Nest Wilderness.
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    Opinion

    Detractors take note: Tri-State is meeting its reliability, affordability and clean energy obligations

    A recent report from the Colorado Energy Office shows Tri-State, unlike some other power suppliers in our region, has ample resources in the years ahead, the general manager of K.C. Electric Association writes.

    By David Churchwell • Sept. 16, 2024
  • Industrial background group silhouette of transmission towers (or power tower, electricity pylon, steel lattice tower) at suburb area in Texas, USA.
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    ERCOT accelerates initiative to streamline energy procurement and dispatch

    Texas is continuing its work to ensure batteries play a prominent role in stabilizing the electric grid.

    By Sept. 16, 2024
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    Permission granted by Kraken Technologies
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    Sponsored by Kraken Technologies

    The consumer’s key role in tomorrow’s energy system

    To seize the opportunities posed by smart products, utilities must step up their consumer engagement.  

    By Katherine Lamb, Transformation Director for Product and Customer Experience Innovation, Kraken Technologies • Sept. 16, 2024
  • The sun sets behind some transmission lines.
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    "sunset2" by Barbara Eckstein is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Opinion

    Politicized energy policies aren’t working, but a better system is possible

    Pairing partisanship with extraordinary demands on our power grid from load growth and energy evolution is a recipe for catastrophic failure.

    By Christina Hayes and Todd Snitchler • Sept. 13, 2024
  • Transformers and power transmission lines at a power distribution yard August 18, 2003 in Des Plaines, Illinois.
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    (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images) via Getty Images
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    US should create ‘virtual’ electric transformer reserve amid shortage concerns: NIAC

    Lead times to procure new transformers have “plateaued,” but rising electricity demand from data centers could stretch them, said Peter Ferrell, director of government relations for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

    By Sept. 13, 2024
  • Texas power outages cost consumers $35,685 per MWh of unserved load: Brattle

    State regulators adopted a Value of Lost Load metric to weigh the benefits of future investments to improve grid reliability.

    By Sept. 12, 2024
  • Active construction at the Lumina II battery energy storage system project in Scurry County, Texas.
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    Permission granted by Intersect Power
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    National Grid, Constellation propose options to prioritize grid interconnection requests

    However, “rationing” grid interconnection threatens open access to the power system, GridStor’s Jason Burwen said at a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission workshop.

    By Sept. 11, 2024
  • Solar panels in a desert with storm clouds in the background.
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    BLM approves NV Energy’s Greenlink West transmission, Arevia’s $2.3B solar + storage project

    NV Energy will buy power from Arevia’s 700-MW solar/2.8-GWh battery project in Nevada at a levelized cost of $93.69/MWh.

    By Sept. 10, 2024
  • Aerial View over Solar Farm in Port Murray in Mansfield Township, New Jersey
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    Flexible interconnection service for Duke solar could slash costs, speed grid connections: study

    Providing energy-only interconnection service to a 1.9-GW Duke Energy solar cluster could reduce grid upgrade costs by 72%, according to a study being discussed at a FERC workshop Tuesday.

    By Sept. 10, 2024
  • Electrician worker and electricity power lines over sunset sky.
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    Utilities need ‘broad culture change’ to deploy emerging clean resources at scale: DOE’s Shah

    “Failing to adopt new strategies and technologies is the higher-risk path for utilities today,” said Jigar Shah, director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office.

    By Sept. 9, 2024
  • Rust-colored, V-shaped transmission towers carry power lines across a barren desert landscape with rugged, treeless mountains in the background.
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    Retrieved from US Department of Energy.
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    WestTEC to develop West-wide ‘actionable’ transmission plan

    The initiative aims to develop interregional and interstate transmission portfolios across the West on 10- and 20-year timeframes.

    By Sept. 6, 2024
  • Farmer discing his field as giant wind turbines overlook.
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    White House announces $7.3B clean energy financing for Dairyland Power, 15 other co-ops

    The federal funding will support 10 GW in clean energy projects lowering electricity costs for cooperative utilities in 23 states, the White House said.

    By Sept. 5, 2024
  • Rendering of the $11 billion Port Arthur LNG project in Port Arthur, Texas.
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    Courtesy of Port Arthur LNG
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    Opinion

    LNG exports make both economic and environmental sense

    Exports are not reducing domestic supply and squeezing American ratepayers or power plant operators; exports come from added production and have only a small impact on price.

    By Kyle Isakower • Sept. 4, 2024
  • Energy Harbor's Beaver Valley nuclear power plant, which would be sold to Vistra under a pending deal.
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    "Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant". Retrieved from Wikipedia.
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    Reregulation? How utilities and states are responding to PJM’s record capacity prices

    “Houston, we have a problem,” American Municipal Power’s Steve Lieberman said. “If we don’t see new capacity in the [2027/28] auction, we’re really running out of time.”

    By Sept. 4, 2024
  • Mutual assistance crews working with CenterPoint Energy work to restore power around Houston, Texas, following Hurricane Beryl.
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    Danielle Villasana/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    CenterPoint to propose $5B for Houston grid resilience, forego profits from mobile generation lease

    CenterPoint apologized to state lawmakers about the mobile generators. We “should have communicated more clearly to our elected officials about the cost and the limitations of such large-scale units,” the utility said.

    By Sept. 4, 2024
  • High voltage power lines seen from below
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Generator interconnection hurdles throttle economic development. An entry fee model can help.

    The current interconnection process puts project developers in the untenable position of sinking years of effort and millions of dollars into projects with virtually no insight into the ultimate cost or timeline to connect to the grid.

    By Ted Thomas • Sept. 3, 2024